West's Michael makes up for Relays shortfall

Coming off what he termed a "horrible" performance at the Kansas Relays, Topeka West senior Tegan Michael was looking for redemption in Friday's 21-school Seaman Relays.

He got it with thrilling victories in the 1,600 and 800 meters.

Michael had entered the Kansas Relays as the state leader in the 800, but finished next to last in his heat. He also was among the state leaders in the 1,600, but finished well back in the pack again.

"It was horrible, I didn’t like it at all," Michael said. "Everything that could have gone wrong went wrong.

"I didn't want to end my senior year at the KU Relays like that, but you’ve got to work past it."

So when Wichita Carroll junior David Thor passed him on the home stretch in the 1,600 Friday night, Michael decided it was time to battle, rallying back to edge Thor at the finish line. Michael won in 4:26.0, with Thor second in 4:26.3.

"He came back on me on the last 100 and I had to get it after KU," Michael said. "At KU I just had the worst showing I’ve ever had so I needed to come back and get some confidence back in myself."

Competing in a gusty win, his winning time was off his personal best, but Michael said that Friday wasn’t about times.

"Because of the wind you’ve got to throw the time out," Michael said. "If it was a calm day I think it would have been a much faster race because this track is great, it’s brand new, and it was a good field," Michael said.

Michael backed up his win in the 1,600 with another strong performance in the 800.

Michael, still the state leader in that event, had to fight off Thor again to win in 1:58.11. Thor was second in 1:58.35.

Michael ended his night by anchoring the Chargers to a second-place finish in the 1,600-meter relay in 3:24.82.

-- Topeka West’s foursome of junior Jovan Inyard, junior L.J. Wallace, senior Paul Hatch and senior Xavier Riley sped to a win in the 400-meter relay in 43.14, with Junction City second in 43.54 and Shawnee Mission Northwest third in 43.74.

• Emporia senior Sarah Kolmer had a huge day, posting three wins and a second-place finish.

Kolmer won the girls long jump at 18-4, with her teammate, Oasis Hernandez, taking second at 18-11/2. Kolmer also added wins in the triple jump at 38-61/2 and in the 400-meter dash in 59.76 before finishing second to Junction City’s Alisha Keys in the 200. Keys won in 25.1, with Kolmer second in 25.4.

• Emporia senior Ethan Pearson established a meet record in the pole vault, clearing 15-1. Previously, three athletes shared the record at 15-0.

Spartan sophomore Jerrel Morrow added a win in the boys long jump at 23-5.

• Lawrence junior Blake Hocking set a meet record in the boys shot put with his winning throw of 62-9.

Hocking broke the previous meet record set by former Washburn Rural standout Eric Johnson (61-41/2) in 1998.

• Manhattan junior M.J. Massanet swept the girls shot put and discus events, winning the discus with a throw of 138-3 and the shot put at 40-3.

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